“BOSIE” DOUGLAS ON HIS SEXUAL SELF

Cristina   Wednesday, 29 April 2020

This is an excellent article. Congrats.

I actually also had been looking for this letter everywhere on the internet and found it here by chance.

I do think it's not really accurate to say Bosie was not gay or to take necessarily at face value what he says about the nature and extent of the sexual element of his relationship with Wilde, as he seemed very unwilling to admit to it. Understandably so, but still.

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ANON   Sunday, 23 August 2020

Frank Harris definitely had the true measure of the abominable Douglas.

Regarding his letter with clear eyes, it is obvious that Douglas is the worst type of liar: One who lies most to himself. I had begun to expand on this when I realised that the best thing to do would be to recommend a few biographies. Bosie by Douglas Murray. The Secret Life of Oscar Wilde by Neil McKenna. Oscar: A Life by Matthew Sturgis. Even if you feel unable to read through either of the Wilde books, do read what they have to offer on Douglas. The Harris and Hyde biographies are of course worth looking up in the same vein.

Frank Harris is very much deserving of the last word, with his succinct summary of Douglas's character:

'He attacks nearly every one he has ever known or met. His father and his father-in-law are alike the objects of his venomous petty spite.'